Cigar lighter



Feb. 2, 1943.

\ INVENTOR Jam'eST Kline ATTORNEYS i Patented Feb. 2, 1943 CIGAR LIGHTERJames T. Kline, Fairfield, Conn., assignor to Automatic DevicesCorporation, Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut ApplicationFebruary 9, 1939, Serial No. 255,424

(Cl. B19-3.2)

l0 Claims.

This 'invention relates to an electric cigar lighter, and moreparticularly, to an automatic cigar lighter to be mounted on thedashboard or other support of an automobile.

In prior art of the cigar lighter, automatically controlled energizationof the heating element is obtained by providing a heat-responsive meansfor controlling a circuit between normally open contacts on the holdingdevice and igniting unit, which means closes a circuit upon movement ofthe igniting unit longitudinally of the holding device and holds it linthat position, the heat-responsive means, upon being heated by theheating element, releasing the igniting unit and either directly orindirectly opening the circuit.

According to the present invention, the igniting unit, which isremovably mounted in a holder, has the entire automatic means carriedthereby. In the preferred form of the invention, the igniting unit isnot movable longitudinally to complete the circuit, but has a partrotatable thereon for closing a pair of normally open contacts. Toaccomplish this, the igniting unit comprises a tubular body having amember rotatable therein so that a Contact on the rotatable memberengages a iixed heat-responsive means on the tubular body to close thecircuit through the heating element. Preferably, the means for rotatingthe part is the handle which is gripped to manipulate the igniting unit.

The heat-responsive means may be of any form, but in the presentinvention it comprises a spiral bimetallic latch connected at one end tothe heating element and having at its other end a detent adapted to beengaged by the contact of the rotatable member, when manually operated,to hold the contact in closed-circuit position until the heating elementis ready for use. The heat-responsive means will be heated by thecurrent passing therethrough at the same rate as the heating of theheating element and tend to straighten out and release the contact onthe rotatable member when the heating element has acquired the desiredheat. The contact is springurged to open-circuit position, and, uponbeing released, is quickly moved to that position.

This construction has several advantages over prior lighterslongitudinally operated in that an appreciable saving of material isobtained in the manufacture of the unit, as less operating displacementis required for the present rotatably operated lighter. Also, since theunit can be made smaller, 1t becomes less cumbersome and less space isrequired in mounting it on the dashboard of an automobile.

With the rotatable operation of the present invention, the on and offpositions can be easily designated by providing markings for the on andoii positions to which the handle of the unit will point.

An added feature of the present invention is the means for locking thetubular body against rotation in the holder while the rotatable memberis operated. This means comprises a plurality of notches about thecircumference of the tubular body adapted to be engaged by a pluralityof iingers struck out from the holder. With this construction, the unitcan abe replaced in the hold-er after use without alignment of thelocking means, for, should the notches and lingers not be aligned inlocked position, they will quickly do so upon the next operation.

Other advantages and features of the invention will hereinafter appear.

In the drawing:

Figure l shows a longitudinal view of the invention partly in section,with the igniting unit in normal inoperative position.

Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal section of the device, with the ignitingunit in circuit-closing position.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. l, showing theopen-circuit position of the bimetallic contact and the rotatablecontact.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2, showing theclosed-circuit position of the bimetallic contact and the rotatablecontact.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2, but ininoperative position, showing the yielding means for returning therotatable member to open-circuit position.

Fig. 6 is a front view of the lighter, with modified means forpositioning the unit in the holder and indications of on and offpositions.

According to the present invention, as exemplified by the accompanyingdrawing, the cigar lighter comprises a holder I0 and an igniting unitII. The holder I0 is provided at its outer end with an outturned flangeI2 adapted to engage a clash-board or other support I3 of an automobilewhen the holder is positioned in an aperture therein. The other end ofthe holder is closed with a transverse wall I4 having a threaded sleeveI5 passing therethrough.

The sleeve I5 is provided with a flange I5a, which is secured by weldingor otherwise to the end wall I4 to lock the sleeve in place. A stirrupor U-shaped bracket I6 is provided with an aper- V ture in thetransverse part thereof, to be positioned over the sleeve I5, and itsforward end is caused to abut the back of the dashboard by a nut lithreaded on the sleeve I5, thus locking the holder I9 in place.

A bolt I8 is mounted in the sleeve I5 and is insulated therefrom by aninsulation sleeve I9 and a pair of Washers 29 and 2 I. Between thewasher 29 and the head of the bolt I8 a contact 22 is clamped. Thecontact is provided with outwardly projecting spring ngers 23 whichextend within the holder and have at their extreme ends detents 23a. Thebolt, insulation and Contact are locked in position in the holder by anut 24.

rlhe contact is connected to a source of energy by means of a connectorlug 25 mounted on the bolt and secured to a conductor 26 which isccnnected to the battery. The lug 25 is locked in place on the bolt bymeans of a nut 2l.

According to the present invention, the igniting unit, which is adaptedto be slidably received within the holder and removably mounted therein,comprises a tubular body 28 and a rotatable member 29. The tubularmember 28 comprises a metallic sleeve 39 having an insulation cap 3lsecured to one end thereof by means of an outwardly extending neck 3m,which is threaded into the sleeve. As shown in Fig. 2, the cap forms ameans for mounting a resistance or heating element 32 on the ignitingunit. The heating element illustrated comprises a helical coil ofresistance material disposed in a contact cupV 33 with one end of coilconnected thereto. The other end of the coil is connected to a centralstud Srl as by having the end thereof secured in a slot in the stud. Thestud is insulated from the contact cup by a washer '35 and passesthrough the cap 3l and is headed over to hold the heating element inplace thereon.

The rotatable member of the igniting unit, generally indicated at 29,comprises a tubular member 39 of insulation material having a relativelyflat handle 49 secured to one end thereof by means of a screw 4Ireceived by a bushing 42 molded within the handle. The other end of thetubular member 39 is closed by a cap 43 of conducting material. The capis threaded to the tubular member 39, and is of such diameter as to berotatable within and contacting the sleeve 30.

The rotatable member is held against longitudinal movement with respectto the tubular body b y having shoulders 39a which are positioned inchannels or reduced portions 39a in the sleeve 33 and held in placetherein by a nut 36 threaded in the open end of the sleeve.

When the igniting unit is put in place in the holding device, the twoparts thereof will move as one until the movement is arrested by theconl tact cup being engaged and gripped by detents 23a of the contactfingers 23.

When the igniting unit is in this position, the Contact cup and heatingelement will be connected to one side of the source of energy and thesleeve 39 of the igniting unit will be electrically connected to theholder and to the other side of the source of energy and leaving a gapin the circuit in the igniting unit.

To complete the energizing circuit, the present invention provides aswitch disposed between the two relatively rotatable parts of theigniting unit, which switch is adapted to be closed by rotation of thehandle of the igniting unit.

As shown in the drawing, the cap 43 has a contact 44 secured thereto byrivets l or the like so as to project toward the inslating cap andcooperate with a contact secured thereto.

Preferably, the contact 46 comprises a strip of bimetallic materialhaving one end disposedv under the head of the central stud and clampedthereby against the insulating cap, and also electrically connected tothe end of the heating element.

The other end of the biinetallic strip has a spiral arm 47 projectinginto the space between the end of the rotatable member and theinsulating cap. The end of the arm is provided with a latch or detent 43which is disposed in the path of movement of the Contact 44 andengageable therewith to hold the circuit closed when the contact 44 isso moved. The end of the arm is provided with a camming face 48a whichis iirst engaged by the contact as it is moved to closed-circuitposition, and moves the latch down until the contact 44 passes thedetent portion of the arm 47 which snaps back into holding relationtherewith.

The movable member is normally urged and held in a position wherein thecontacts do not engage one another. This is accomplished by providingthe channel 39a with a pair of abutments 3917 adapted to cooperate witha pair of abutments 3919 formed on the shoulders 39a. These abutmentsare normally held in engagement with one another by a pair of springs 50which are disposed in channels 33 formed between the sleeve 39 andtubular member 39 as shown in Fig. 5. rIhese springs, while normallyurging the rotatable member 29 to a demte position with respect to themember 28 so as to maintain a gap in the circuit, willy yield to permitthe contact 44 to be moved into latched engagement with contact 46 tocomplete the energizing circuit for the heating element.

When the handle i9 is rotated against the action of the yielding means,there is a tendency for the tubular body 23 to also rotate. Thisrotatable movement of the tubular member 28 may be prevented merely bythe friction of the unit and holder and the fingers 23 grasping thecontact cup 33.

In the preferred form of the invention, however, a positive lockingmeans is provided for holding the igniting unit against rotation. Thisis accomplished by providing the igniting unit with a plurality ofnotches or recesses 49 equally spaced about the circumference of thesleeve 39 and adapted to receive a plurality of lingers Illa struck outfrom the holder I9 when in position thereon. With this construction, apositive locking action between the two elements is always obtained.Further, by providing a plurality of recesses on the igniting unit, theunit may be returned in the holder after use and properly held withoutit being necessary to align the locking means. As can be readily seen,should the fingers Ita not be seated in corresponding notches 49 afterreplacement of the unit within the holder after use, initial movement ofthe handle 49 will cause the tubular body 23 to rotate within the holderuntil the ngers Illa snap into engagement with the notches 49 to hold itin position while' the rotation of the rotatable member may be continuedto closed-circuit position.

When it is desired to use the lighter, the handle 4i? is rotatedclockwise relative to the body 29 until contact 44 will move in anarcuate path and engage the camming surface 49a of the detent 48 of thebimetallic contact, permitting the contact 44 to pass thereby and snapinto engagement with the abutment of the detent and `hold the rotatablemember in closed-circuit position. as shown in Figs. 2 and 4.This'move.-

ment will compress the springs 59 so that they will return the movablemember quickly to opencircuit position upon being released.

When the rotatable member is locked in closed-circuit position, theenergizing circuit for the heating element will lthen be through theconductor 28, lug 25, bolt I3, contact 22, Contact cup 33, heatingelement 32, stud 34, bimetallic contact 46, contact 44, cap 43, sleeve39, to the holder IB and to ground through the dashboard.

As soon as the heating element has acquired its predeterminedtemperature, the arm 41 of the bimetallic Contact 45, which issimultaneously heated by the current passing therethrough at the samerate as the heating element, will have flexed or straightened out andmoved the detent out of engagement with the contact 44, whereby therotatable member will be released and moved into open-circuit positionby the springs b. rihe movement of the rotatable member to this positionwill be accompanied by an audible click caused by the contact of theabutments 3th, 39h, notifying the user that the device has reached itspredetermined temperature and can be withdrawn from the holder for use.

As sho-wn in Fig. 6, a modified for-m of the present invention providesa positive indication of the condition of the circuit. In this form ofthe invention, the holder is provided with a longitudinal slot 5iadapted to receive a lug 52 on the sleeve 3%, shown in dotted lines, sothat the unit will always be positioned the same in the holder afteruse. The flange l2 of the holder is provided with on and off markings,and the handle when in normal position will point to the off marking.When the handle is rotated to move the contacts into closed-circuitposition and the heating element is being energized, it will point, asindicated by the dot-anddash line, to the on marking. Thus, by merelyglancing at the handle, the condition of the circuit will be apparent.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of thisinvention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. In an electric cigar lighter, a holder comprising a cylindricalsocket; a cylindrical igniting unit removably mounted Within the holder;a. heating element carried by the igniting unit; a member, including ahandle by which the member and unit can be manipulated, rotatablymounted on the igniting unit and extending into said unit; interengagingdetent means carried by the cylindrical socket and igniting unit forholding the igniting unit against rotation in said socket when saidmember is operated; means for yieldingly urging said member to a normalopencircuit position; means responsive to rotation of said member out ofnormal position to complete a circuit through the heating element; andheatresponsive means adapted to hold said member in closed-circuitposition, said heat-responsive means releasing said member for movementto an open-circuit position when the heating element has attained apredetermined temperature.

2. In an electric cigar lighter, a holder; an igniting unit havingnotches about the circumference thereof removably mounted on the holder;a heating element carried by the igniting unit; a member rotatablymounted on the igniting unit; interengaging means including fingersstruck out from the holder adapted to engage the notches on the ignitingunit for holding said unit against rotation when said member isoperated; means for yieldingly urging said member to a normalopen-circuit position; means responsive to rotation of said member tocomplete a circuit through the heating element; and heat-responsivemeans adapted to hold said member in closed-circuit position, saidheat-responsive means releasing said member for movement to anopen-circuit position when the heating element has attained apredetermined temperature.

3. In an electric cigar lighter, a holder; an igniting unit removablymounted in the holder; a heating element carried by the igniting unit; amember rotatably carried by and within the igniting unit and having aContact thereon, said member having a projection and the igniting unithaving a recess to receive the projection; means for closing the recessin the igniting unit for holding the member against longitudinalmovement with respect to the igniting unit; means in said recess foryieldingly holding sai-d member to a normal open-circuit position; and aheat-responsive means carried by the igniting unit adapted to be engagedby said contact upon rotation of said member from said normal positionto hold said member in closed-circuit position and complete a circuitthrough the heating element, said heat-responsive means releasing saidmember for movement to open-circuit position when the heating elementhas attained a predetermined temperature.

4. In an electric cigar lighter, a holder; an igniting unit removablymounted on the holder; a heating element carried by the igniting unit; amember rotatably mounted on the igniting unit and having an outstandingcontact thereon; means for yieldingly urging said member to a normalopen circuit position on the unit a heatresponsive means carried by theigniting unit adapted to be engaged by said contact to hold said memberin closed-circuit position to complete a circuit through the heatingelement and release said member for movement to open-circuit positionwhen the heating element has attained a predetermined temperature, saidheat-responsive means comprising a spiral bimetallic latch provided Witha camming surface at its eXtreme free end, extending in the path of saidrotatable contact and adapted to be engaged by the rotatable contact inits movement to circuit-closing position so that said latch is flexedfrom its normal position to permit the contact to pass and then snapinto latched relation With the Contact.

5. In an electric cigar lighter, a holder; an igniting unit removablymounted on the holder; a heating element carried by the igniting unit; amember rotatably mounted on the igniting unit; means responsive torotation of said member to complete a circuit through the heatingelement; heat-responsive means adapted to hold said member isclosed-circuit position and release said member for movement toopen-circuit position when the heating element has attained apredetermined temperature; and means comprising compression springsseated in annular channels of the igniting unit and interposed betweenabutments on the rotatable member and abutments of said channel, foryieldingly urging said rotatable member to said normal open-circuitposition.

6. In an electric cigar lighter, a holder; an igniting unit removablymounted on the holder, comprising a tubular body and a member adapted tobe rotatably mounted therein; a heating element carried by the tubularbody at one end thereof; a yielding means comprising springs seated inannular channels formed by said body and member and interposed betweenabutments on said body and member for yieldingly urging said member tonormal position; contacts on the member including an outstanding contactrotatably operated in an arcuate path for completing a circuit throughthe heating element; and a spiral bimetallic latch carried by thetubular body and extending in the path of said rotatably mountedycontact, `and engaging the rotatably mounted contact to hold saidcontact and member in closed-circuit position, said bimetallic latchbeing heated by the current carried thereby at the same rate as theheating element and upon reaching a predetermined heat flexing torelease said contact and member for movement by said yielding urgingmeans to opencircuit position.

7. In an electric cigar lighter, a holder having a longitudinallyextending groove therein; an igniting unit removably mounted on theholder; a heating element carried by the igniting unit; a memberincluding a relatively ilat handle for manipulating the igniting unitrotatably mounted within the igniting unit with the handle projectingtherefrom and readily accessible; means for yieldingly urging saidmember to a normal open-circuit position; means responsive to rotationof said member by said handle for completing `a circuit through theheating element; heatresponsive means adapted to hold said member inclosed-circuit position, said heat-responsive means releasing saidmember for movement to an open-circuit position when the heating elementhas attained a predetermined temperature; and means for mounting theigniting unit in a predetermined position on the holding devicecomprising a lug on the igniting unit adapted to be received by thegroove on the holder for identical positioning of the igniting unit onthe holder after use; and on and off indications on said holding device,the handle of said rotatable member pointing to the on and offindications in either of its positions to indicate the condition of thecircuit.

8. An electric cigar lighter including a cylindrical holding device; acylindrical igniting unit removably mounted therein; interengagingdetent and recess means on the cylindrical holding device and ignitingunit operative in a plurality of angular positions for holding said unitagainst rotation on the holding device; means for establishing a circuitbetween the holding device and the igniting unit when the igniting unitis in normal position thereon; a rotatable member carried by andextending into the igniting unit; a pair of contacts carried by theigniting unit, one being secured to the igniting unit and the other tothe rotatable member on the igniting unit; means for normally urging therotatable member to maintain the contacts in open-circuit position; andheat-responsive means including a latch ad-apted to engage the movablecontact when the latch is moved from normal position to complete thepreviously established circuit to energize the heating element, saidheat-responsive means being heated by the current carried thereby at thesame rate as the heating element and releasing the Contact when apredetermined temperature has been attained.

9'. An electric cigar lighter including two electrically separablemembers, one of said members to be relatively Xed and the other memberdetachable therefrom, said detachable member comprising essentially tworelatively movable parts; an igniting unit carried by one of said parts;a handle carried by the other of said parts t-o be gripped for removingand manipulating the detachable member; cooperative electrical circuitterminals arranged for separation and carried by said members; anelectric circuit common to both members and said element; a switchinterposed between two parts of the detachable member to close thecircuit to the heating element before separation of the members;rotation of the handle relative to the heating element closing theswitch between the relative movable parts; and a spring normally urgingthe parts to open the switch, one of the contacts of the switch being a'heat-responsive detent for holding the switch in closed-circuitposition, said detent being heated by the current carried thereby at thesame rate as the heating element and flexing to release the switch uponthe heating element attaining a predetermined usable heat.

l). In a cigar lighter, a holder; an igniting unit carriedl by thehol-der and. having a heating element secured to one end thereof; amember rotatable within the igniting unit and secured therein, saidmember having a handle secured to the outer end by which the ignitingunit is removed from the holding device and manipulated and having acontact at its inner end spaced from the means for supporting theheating element so `as to form a chamber therein; a contact carried bythe igniting unit and electrically connected to the heating element; acontact carried by the movable portion and dispos-ed within the chamberand electrically "connected to the holding device, one of sai-d contactsbeing a bimetallic latch contact adapted to be engaged by the relativemovement between the contacts to close and hold the circuit closedduring energizaticn of the heating element, said bimetallic latchcontact being heated by the current carried thereby at the same rate asthe heating element and eXing upon reaching a predetermined heat torelease the contact cooperating therewith; and means for urging saidcontacts into open-circuit position-upon being released by the detent,said chamber being provided with vents whereby heat from the bimetallicelement may be dissipated.

JAMES T. KLIWEV

